Liana and Nightcrawler
by Purple-Fairy-of-Dreams
Summary: Before Stryker captured Nightcrawler and forced him to attack the president, Nightcrawler met a girl named Liana. Afraid of what she would think if she saw his mutant features, he keeps his identity a secret. What if it gets out? xCompletex
1. Chapter 1

**Sadly, I don't own any of the characters in X-men--this goes for _all_ of my chapters! This is my slightly revised version of the story. I would like to thank Mahalove for giving me some advice on how to improve my story. Thanks for reading!**

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Chapter 1 

It was a cold rainy night in a small town located in Germany. It was the perfect time for a certain mutant to crawl on the roofs of the small buildings. This particular mutant had the power of teleportation and his name was Kurt Wagner, but in the circus he was known as "The Incredible Nightcrawler" and those who feared him called him "The Demon". With a few puffs of smoke, he was able to make his way from his home, the circus, to the local church. Nightcrawler was, unlike most mutants, a religious man and found comfort in prayer and in the belief of a loving God. Once he reached the church, he teleported around the building to make sure that he was alone.

It was hard being a mutant. Especially if you could be recognized as one from a mile away. That was Kurt's main problem, for he had dark blue skin, blue hair, a long devil-like tail, and only three fingers and two toes on each hand and foot. Kurt, being religious, had also carved the markings of the archangel Gabriel into his skin. It wasn't as if he had his appearance to worry about.

Once he had checked that he was alone, he knelt in one of the pews and prayed. He did this every night. When the circus moved to a different town, Kurt was quick to find a church to worship in. But it was _this_ rainy night that was different. That night, he wasn't alone for long.

The young mutant was almost done with his prayer when he heard a door creek open and slam shut against the stormy night. Quick as a flash, he teleported behind the wall that faced the pews. From this spot, he cautiously peered through the doorway to see his intruder.

It was a girl. She seemed to be in her late teens and was drenched from the rain. In her arms she carried a small child who was also drenched. Shebrought the sleeping child to the front of the unlit church and laid the child on the first pew. Kurt studied the newcomers. The child was also a girl who looked small enough to be around three years old. She had blonde, curly hair and fair skin. The older girl had long, wavy, black hair plastered to her face from the rain and skin that was slightly tanned from the sun.

The girl turned from the sleeping child and walked up a few stairs to the crucifix that stood against the wall Kurt was hiding behind. He poked his head out a little more to get a better view of her. She looked at the depiction of Jesus' death. He watched her look back at the child and then turn back to the dead Savior. Suddenly, she turned away and walked down the steps that led away from the cross. Sitting on the last step, she pulled her knees up to her chin, laid her forehead on it, and wept. Kurt pulled his head back in. He found it a little surprising that she was crying. He knew that he should probably teleport out and leave her in peace, but the sound of her crying hurt his heart.

"Please don't cry," he said with his German accent.

The girl looked up with a gasp. "Who's there?" she asked timidly.

"A friend," answered Kurt from behind the wall.

"Show yourself," she demanded unbelievingly, her voice resounded off the church walls.

Kurt looked at his blue hands and his face fell. "I vould scare you."

The girl followed the sound of the mysterious voice. Kurt heard her footsteps come closer to the open door next to him. "Don't come any closer!" he warned.

She stopped. "Why not?" she demanded.

"I don't vant you to see me. Please," he begged, "believe me vhen I tell you that I von't hurt you."

"Fine," she said as she sat down next to the doorway. If the wall had been removed, Liana and Kurt would be sitting back to back. Kurt quietly thanked the Lord for her cooperation.

There was a small pause. "Vhat's your name?" Kurt asked politely.

The girl hesitated. "Liana."

"Liana," he repeated, "That's a pretty name."

"Thanks," she said with a small smile. "What's yours?"

Kurt thought about her question. It was lonely being a demonic-looking mutant, with no one but his adopted family and God as his friends and family. He wanted Liana to be his friend, but if he gave her his name, then she would be able to find out who he _really _was and find a poster of what he looked like. "Um…vhat do you vant to call me?"

"Well, that's not fair," she said. "I gave you my name." She gave an exasperated sigh when he didn't give an answer. "I don't know," she began. "I'll just call you 'Voice', like the girl off of the Phantom of the Opera."

"Who is your friend?"

"That's my sister, Katy."

"I don't mean to be rude, but vhat are you doing out here on a stormy night?"

"I should be asking _you _the same question, along with 'Why don't you show yourself?'" She paused with a sigh. "Katy and I don't have a home." A flash of lightning lit up the church. The temporary light revealed that Liana had a black-eye and a few bruises on her arms.

"You are hurt," he pointed out with concern.

She wrapped her arms around herself. "I've had worse," she said quietly. A lapse of silence followed. Only the storm outside disturbed the silence.

"You must be cold," he pointed out.

"Only alittle."

Kurt squinted into the darkness, trying to find a blanket of some sort. All he found in the small, hidden room was a priest's robe and a tablecloth. He took these and tossed them out the doorway. He saw her bruised arm reach out and accept the items.

"Thanks," she said.

"Your velcome….goodnight," he said quietly. He watched her wrap the tablecloth around her sister as he waited for a loud boom of thunder before he teleported back home with a puff of smoke.

And so began their friendship. Each night, when Kurt went to the church, he found Liana and Katy asleep on the pew. Kurt, or "Voice", learned that Liana had lost her mother to an illness and that she and her sister were left to an abusive father. Liana's father was part of an illegal drug business and had moved to France to escape the American government. After experiencing a rough beating, Liana took her sister and ran away. After escaping their house, they secretly hopped into the baggage car of a train heading to Germany.

Liana eventually gave her full trust to her new friend called Voice. Though, she didn't tell Katy for fear of her little sister staying up to listen to their conversations. She found her new life hard, for she had to provide food for Katy and herself, as well as to stay hidden when church services were being held. Apart from the hardships, she found it nice that she had a friend who would talk to her and show kindness that she had never known with her father.

_Life_, she decided one night, _isn't so bad after all. _

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**Review, my friends, review! spaz I love reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'd just like to give a "thank-you" to Kate Van Helsing and Mahalove for being my _only _reviewers. Ya'll need to leave me some reviews--NOW! Again, I don't own X-men,that's not gonna change. Dang. Well, on with the story!**

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Chapter 2

Kurt enjoyed having a new friend. It made him feel less lonely. He felt comfortable around Liana…as long as she didn't know what he looked like. He was even careful not to let her hear the _poof _that sounded every time he teleported.

It was the night of the full moon. The bright, blue moon lit the streets with a soft glow. Kurt was making his way to the church when he heard shouts. Curious, he teleported to a roof that was close to the noise.

"Get her!" shouted a group of boys. They were a rowdy-looking bunch of teenagers and they were chasing after someone. Squinting in the darkness, he saw a girl running in the distance who had long hair trailing behind. With another puff of smoke, Kurt was able to see her turn a corner. The stealthy mutant quietly followed her, keeping both the girl and the boys in his eye's view. Suddenly, the boys' victim stopped—she had come to a dead end. When she turned around, Kurt recognized her as Liana.

Even from a distance he could tell that she was afraid. She scrambled up some nearby crates to climb over the tall fence that blocked her way. He wanted to help her, but if he revealed himself—what would she do? She was almost over the fence when one of the faster boys caught up to her and yanked her elbow-length hair. The pain made her lose her balance and she fell four feet to the ground. The air was forced out of her chest from the impact. The other boys caught up and surrounded Liana, jeering and smirking at her.

An eighteen year old boy, he seemed to be their leader, placed his boot on her ribs. "Hey pretty girl," he said, "Vhere do you think you're going?"

"Get off me!" she screamed, struggling free of the boy's boot.

One the boys grabbed her shoulders and slammed her against the fence. "C'mon," he said, "we just vant to have a little fun." With this, he drew out a knife. Fear shone in Liana's eyes. Kurt couldn't hide any longer. He had to do something.

The boy with the knife raised his hand but before the blow could come down, something whipped around and grabbed his weapon. Everyone looked up. A demon-like figure was perched on the fence with a knife held in his pointed tail.

"It's the Demon!" one of the boys shouted.

Indeed the figure looked much like a demon. Its yellow eyes glared at the boys and showed its sharp teeth as it hissed at them. With a whip of its tail, it tossed the knife aside and jumped off the fence. In midair there was a puff of smoke and the creature was gone. The boys were looking around nervously. _Where did it go?_ As if in answer, there was another _poof _and the demon appeared opposite the fence. Liana stood still, paralyzed with fear. Some of the boys ran away, but there were some who remained to fight the creature. There were shouts and more _poofs_. The Demon appeared here and there, fighting Liana's attackers. Most of the boys were either gone or lying unconscious, but when Nightcrawler turned around, he saw the leader of the boys standing by the tall fence. The Demon ran animal-like towards him. Quick as a flash the boy had Liana in front of him with his arm around her shoulders and his own knife placed dangerously close to her neck. Nightcrawler stopped short.

"Come any closer, Demon, and she dies," he threatened.

Liana's neck was stretched back, trying not to touch the knife. She was completely still except for her rapid breathing. She looked at the Demon, _willing _him not to come any closer, but she saw she didn't have to. There was something in the creature's eyes that caught her off guard. He was looking at her with those terrible yellow eyes, but he seemed…concerned.

And indeed he was. Kurt's eyes darted from the boy, to Liana, to the knife, and all over again. He didn't know what to do. He watched quiet tears spill down Liana's cheeks. The cruel boy stepped a distance around Kurt, taking Liana with him as a constant threat. The demon-like creature followed them, careful to stay the same distance from them so as to not bring any harm to the girl.

Once the boy reached the end of the wall, he shoved Liana into it, causing her to bump her head, and ran away. Kurt had already teleported to her to catch her as she sunk with a moan to the ground, unconscious. He watched the boy run. Kurt was no longer interested in him now that Liana was safe. To keep from being spotted, he teleported Liana and himself to the roof he had been watching them from.

Kurt looked at her, his eyes sad. He gently smoothed back her hair for it had begun to stick to her face from her tears. He wiped away her tears and whispered, "I'm sorry," even though she couldn't hear him. Taking her in his arms, he was able to teleport her to the church that she was secretly staying in.

He noticed that Katy wasn't in her pew. Kurt gently laid his unconscious friend on the same pew her sister usually slept on and wrapped her in the priest's robe. He looked at Liana again. The fear had vanished from her face and was replaced by the peaceful look that only deep sleep brings. Kurt brushed his fingers over her healing black eye and went down the length of her face.

She was safe, but the idea that he could have helped her sooner haunted Kurt.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, and was gone.

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**I looked this thing over again and again, but I seriously can't figure out how to lengthen this thing without making it sound boring or unimportant--a.k.a, cheesy. Sorry Mahalove! But I didn't change an itsy-bitsy bit in there. Leave ,me some reviews, people!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, guys, this short story is over. I realized that I unintentionally lied in the last chapter--I added, like, a sentence at the end of it. Not enough to actually matter, but I felt that I just owe it to my readers. Anyway, enjoy the ending!**

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Chapter 3 

Kurt's adopted family, the Wagner's, were getting a little worried about him. He seemed to always be daydreaming before his performance in the circus. They also began to notice that he left earlier than usual to pray at the church. Kurt, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. He didn't know that he was leaving earlier than usual; he just knew he wanted to speak to Liana.

"Voice?" Liana asked one night.

"Yes, Liana?" came her answer.

"Do you think it's right to give up someone you love because it would be better for them?"

"Vhat do you mean?" There was a small pause.

"I took Katy to an orphanage," she answered, her voice cracking.

Kurt could see from her shadow that she was wiping away silent tears. "Vhy?"

"I couldn't feed her," she answered, tears were streaming down her cheeks now and she started to sob uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, Voice," she gasped in between sobs.

"It's alright," Kurt answered. Kurt wanted so much to give her a comforting hug, to let her know that there was a friend that cared. How would he put that feeling into words?

"I th-thought I'd be--able to t-take care of her," she sobbed. "But I c-couldn't--"

"Shh," Kurt whispered soothingly, "Just cry." And she did.

After crying for a while, Liana's sobs quieted down to short, quick gasps. Seeing that she had more control over herself, she spoke again. "I took--her to the orphanage--last night," she gasped out. "I was on my--way back when a--bunch of boys ran--after me. I don't know--why they chased me." She quietly told herself that she did, but the reason would be too embarrassing to say aloud. "They a-attacked me--and then--"

Kurt turned wide-eyed toward the doorway and waited for it to come.

"This--_creature_ came out--of no where." Voice did not respond. "They called him—the…Demon," she said. Her gasps calmed down as she thought about the night before.

"Oh," came Kurt's reply, he didn't know what else to say.

"I heard some--of the villagers say that he was sent from Hell--to get their children," she informed.

Kurt's heart fell. _She thinks I'm a demon, too_, he thought to himself.

"But there's something I--don't understand," she said. "If he goes after children, then why did he save me--last night?"

"He saved you?" Kurt asked, wanting to know what she thought of him.

"Yes," she answered quietly. "Well, I don't know…but I've seen him, and yes he was--terrifying, but….there was something in his eyes…something human. I was being threatened by a knife…I thought he wouldn't care, but—but he did. I _really_ think he did."

Kurt was in a sort of stunned silence. Yes, he had saved her, but he had predicted that she would hate him for his appearance. Everyone else in the village thought that way. Even when he had saved someone from falling off a roof, they still hated him because he looked like a demon.

"Voice? Are you there?"

"Y-yes," he stuttered, coming out of his thoughts. A lapse of silence followed.

_He looked so terrible_, Liana thought. _He mustn't get out much. It must be horrible looking like that--difficult to be seen and people not go and_--her eyes widened--_to be seen._

A frightening idea came to her head. "Voice," Liana asked, hugging her knees, "why can't I see what you look like?"

"Because I vould scare you," he answered, feeling uncomfortable again.

_I gotta know._ "I don't know about that. What if I saw you a little bit at a time?"

"Uh…"

"C'mon," she urged, "just hold out your hand or something."

This was it. If he showed her, what would she do? Scream? Run away and hate him forever? Move away and never be his friend again? But she was his friend now. She had given him her trust without knowing what he looked like or who he really was. Now, he had to do his part and trust her.

"Alright," he said quietly.

Liana became excited and nervous all at the same time. _Finally, some answers_, she thought as she scooted over a little toward the doorway and waited for her glimpse. What came around the corner was something one would never see save in a nightmare. A blue hand with only three fingers showed itself in the doorway. She gasped with surprise and jerked away from the door, making the blue hand quickly withdraw itself.

Kurt looked at his hand with a sad distaste. He had lost the only friend he had outside the family. He looked at the doorway, expecting to hear her scream or the shuffle of her feet as she scrambled to get out of the church, but it didn't come. Instead, a hand held itself to his side of the doorway. Kurt looked at it for a moment, slightly confused.

Liana held her hand there, wanting to see the marvel again, and it came. Only, it hovered over her hand as if hesitant to touch it. She slowly raised her hand and took a gentle hold of "Voice's". She looked at it--it looked familiar. Crawling around through the doorway to the dark closet that held her invisible friend, she saw a pair of sad, yellow eyes looking at her.

Liana's eyes widened with realization. "_You're_ the demon," she whispered. The sad eyes nodded at her.

Then, Kurt felt something. She was pulling him toward her by his wrist. He got to his knees and came forward; his face became visible in the moon's glowing light. The two sat looking at each other, both sitting on their feet.

Liana gently touched his face and looked with wonder at his ears and the strange markings on his face. "You saved me," she said.

Kurt merely looked at her. She was still his friend, even though he looked like a creature from Hell. He took in a breath as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. Kurt, overcoming his stunned moment, wrapped his arms around her, too.

"Your welcome," he answered quietly. The two pulled away. "I was afraid that you vouldn't like me because of vhat I look like," he confessed. She gave him a small smile. "Vhy do you not run away?"

"Because I trust you," she answered. "It's a little something called faith." Kurt smiled back.

"So," she began, "I guess 'Voice' has a face now…and I assume he has a _real _name."

"Kurt," he said with a genuine smile. "Kurt Vagner."

"Wagner…that sounds familiar."

"My adopted family owns a circus," he explained.

"Aren't you on a poster?"

"Yes. In the circus, I'm known as 'The Incredible Nightcrawler'."

"I think I like Kurt better," Liana said. There was a small pause before Liana asked, "How did you do that--thing, last night?"

"Teleporting?" Kurt suggested.

"Sure." She didn't have a better name for it.

"I'm a mutant," Kurt explained. "I can teleport vherever I vant to, as long as I can see vhere I'm going."

"Cool," she said with a smile.

When Kurt left, he felt very happy. Happier than when Liana became his friend. Having someone who liked you for who you were was much, much better. On his way back to the circus tent, he stopped in the surrounding woods to look at the heavens. He kneeled and said a silent prayer, thanking God for blessing him with a friend like Liana.

_Crack._ Kurt's eyes darted around to look at the surrounding trees. After a second of searching, he spotted a man with camouflage make-up pointing a gun at him. Before he could react he felt three consecutive stings on his shoulder. As he sank to his knees, a graying, corpulent man stepped out of the trees.

"Good evening, Mr. Wagner," he said with a triumphant smirk.

Kurt took the needles out of his shoulder. His vision blurred. _Faith_, he thought to himself, _Have faith…_

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**Thanks again for reading! Please leave me a review! Why do I want reviews? Because if I don't get reviews to feed on, I'll have to resort to living off blood--peoplewhodon'treview's blood. Mwahahahahahaaaa!**


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